Costa Rica: The Food

Just in time for WIAW: A recap of what I ate while in Costa Rica. However, it was really more of a love your fruits trip than a veggies one…
Honestly, I wasn’t blown away by Costa Rican food. I had some amazing meals, some average meals, and some downright disappointing ones. Which is something like what happens when I eat out around home.

Staying Typical

What you see most often is, aptly, labelled “Typical Food” or “Typical Dish.” This involves rice, beans, plantain, and a selection of other items (egg, veggies, or meat). While the dish is similar across the board, details (and quality) vary widely. I love how complete of a meal each is–veggies, carbs, protein, it’s all there!

This was my first “typical” experience in Costa Rice–the veggies and beans were clearly from a can. Disappointing.

Much better! Fresher veggies and the interesting addition of local cheese and steamed yucca.

Unbeatably the best meal–and, of course, the worst picture. We went to this restaurant twice–it was a small local hole-in-the-wall that was insanely cheap. There is no picture or description that can capture the flavor and freshness that was in every bite.

Not pictured: Awful nachos, ridiculously expensive and bland Minestrone soup, and a very American salad with creamy dressing and croutons.

Staying In

My friend and I are both dorks, and had at least as much fun going to bakeries and grocery stores as we did going to restaurants. Our favorite creation was avocado (and oh, the cheap and fresh avocados!) and cream cheese on amazing fresh bakery bread–the perfect breakfast!

This was a pretty good breakfast too.

Not pictured: PB and banana sandwiches and all the fresh papayas, mangos and passion fruits you could eat.

Staying Hydrated

The best part: THE DRINKS! And I don’t just mean the alcohol (although I do also mean the alcohol…). Costa Rica serves glass after glass of amazing fresh fruit drinks. I may not particularly miss any meal, but I will miss the glasses of pure fresh fruit blended with ice and a little sweetener. Amazing.

One banana drink, one papaya.

Can you go to Costa Rica and not get a pina colada?

Mixed drinks in a can. Ron and cola, anyone?

Not pictured: Many many more glasses of blended fruit drink (guanabana being my favorite), an amazing ginger martini, Costa Rica’s own Imperial beer and a few more pina coladas…

If you want to read more about my trip to Costa Rica, check out yesterday’s post on the places I visited, and come back soon for a post on the adventures I had! And I promise I’m catching up on everyone’s posts–turns out all of you had a lot going on while I was away!

we were totally going to go to costa rica this christmas as a family vacay, but everyone kind of bailed on the idea. I didnt mind since I have a HUGE fear of flying, but everything looks so tasty, that now Im curious!!

Plantains are so so good. Vegetables from a can? Not good at all. Black Beans are so good and easy, I could eat them every day. I’ve had great food when traveling I just hate spending so much money. Also my husband likes all you can eat places while I detest them.

My favorite meal while on Vacation was at a restaurant in Jackson Wyoming. It was uber vegan friendly, half they menu had a vegan option. The vegan food was incredible and hubby was able to have a bison burger, so we were both happy.

That food looks amazing!! Hole-in-the-walls usually have the best food! I recently tried plantains for the first time at a Puerto Rican restaurant here and I fell in love. They are so good! I tried them in a dish where they were fried (heavenly) and one where they were sauteed which was awesome as well. So jealous of all the delicious food you had in Costa Rica!

This is why I love food bloggers. They make me feel normal! I always feel a bit weird photographing all this food stuff on my travels, and I want to yell at everyone and tell them I’m not a freak and lots of other people do this too! :)